CT Governor Pushes Gun Ban, Gun Makers Consider Leaving State

Last week, Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy introduced tough new gun control measures that essentially outlaw many of the very guns manufactured in the state by Stag Arms, Colt, Ruger, and Mossberg among others.

Malloy’s proposals include a ban on the sale of AR-15s within the state. Current owners of AR-15s would have until October to register their guns with the State Police or sell them outside the state of Connecticut.

Malloy’s proposal is not only harmful for gun owners but also potentially damaging to the state’s economy; the ban would mean that any of the products of Connecticut-based gun manufacturers must be shipped out of state to be sold.

As a result of this, other states are wooing gun manufacturers to relocate, and some gun manufacturers appear to be taking the offers seriously. Oklahoma has reportedly reached out to Stag Arms, and “officials from Texas, South Carolina, Arizona, and Mississippi are arguing that gun manufacturers should abandon states with tough gun laws” and head their way.

Connecticut-based gun manufacturers generate approximately $1.7 billion in revenue and create approximately 3,000 jobs for the state.